Beauté

1. A lovely maiden from the castle Landemore.

She arrived at Arthur’s court at Karahes (Carhaix) during a Pentecost feast. Gawaine fell in love with her immediately, and presented her to Guenevere. Beauté rebuked Gawaine’s love, as well as that of Gliglois, Gawaine’s squire, who was equally smitten upon seeing her. Gawaine hoped to win her admiration at the Castle Orgueilleux tournament, but she refused to attend with him, going instead with the knight Aharer, who gave her a falcon to be presented to the winner of the tournament.

The love-struck Gliglois, meanwhile, followed Beauté and Aharer, running behind their horses until his feet bled. Beauté finally stopped and instructed him to take a message to her sister at Landemore. The message revealed to her sister, and to Gliglois, that Beauté truly loved Gliglois but wanted to test him. Her sister knighted Gliglois, who entered the tournament and won – taking the falcon and Beauté as his prizes. Gawaine graciously relinquished his love for his former squire’s sake.

2. Daughter of the King of the Isles.

Her father decreed that she would be married by the knight who could pull the magnificent sword named Honoree from its sheath. Beautés’ maidservant, Clarete, carried the sword around until Beaudous, the son of Gawaine, managed to draw the sword.

Meanwhile, Madoines, a jilted suitor of Beauté, invaded her lands. Beaudous arrived at the right time and defeated Madoines. Beauté and Beaudous were married.